


Slytherin's Cunning and Ravenclaw's Wit

by Moonrose91



Series: North Star [2]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Cunning, F/M, Gen, Plotting
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-10-08
Updated: 2012-10-08
Packaged: 2017-11-15 21:56:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,371
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/532206
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Moonrose91/pseuds/Moonrose91
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After all, why should He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named be the only one to take advantage of the Wizarding World’s fears?</p>
            </blockquote>





	Slytherin's Cunning and Ravenclaw's Wit

Argo Prince looked up as his assistant walked in, looking as if he was about to pass out. “What is it Russell?” he asked gently.

Russell gulped a few times and Argo waited patiently. “Um…a Mr. Tabold to see you, sir,” he managed to get out.

“Show him in, Russell,” Argo stated, making another notation in the ledger.

Didn’t the French have their own Winged Horse breeder?

“Um…sir, I don’t think we should hire him, sir,” Russell stated and Argo slowly looked up, staring at him darkly from under his eyebrow.

“Excuse me?” Argo questioned.

Russell almost seemed to _whimper_ before he edged forward and hissed out, “He’s a werewolf sir! And not just _any_ werewolf, he’s brought some _others_ with him.”

“Oh, thank you for telling me Mr. Hammish. Please, send them _all_ in,” Argo answered and Russell rushed to do so while Argo tapped the feathered part of his quill against the paper in thought.

Werewolves.

With hysteria the way it was, they would need jobs.

He looked up as a man, tall and broad shouldered with reddish-brown hair, enter, followed by a young woman, Amazonian looking almost with thick blonde hair, and a young man who looked like he could have come from Black family lines (which, considering how many different ways Purebloods were related, wouldn't surprise him).

They couldn’t be older then Russell, the two that followed the broad-shouldered man, though Argo was willing to bet that the broad-shouldered man was nearer _Niccolo’s_ age.

He immediately stood and held a hand out for the man to shake. “Mr. Tabold I presume?” he asked and the man gave a nod before shaking it.

Just the full moon, right?

He could deal with that.

They released at an appropriate time and waved his hand at the chairs. “Please have a seat,” he answered and took a seat, immediately finding the interview file for Mr. Tabold.

He gave a few muttered curses at the lack of information and sighed. “Well, let’s get started. I’m Argo Prince and I am pleased to meet you,” he introduced.

“Thaddeus Tabold. This is my daughter, Lisa Tabold, and a member of…the family, Cesar,” Tabold stated and both gave a polite nod which Argo returned.

“I run a breeding farm for Winged Horses. Right now, I am focusing on Granian and Aeothonan. They are kept fully separated, but the trouble is I’ve lost _two_ of my Granian yearlings this week. While I trust my wards, wards can be tricked. The yearlings could have been stolen from people on the inside. And that is why my need for security has gone up. Now, tell me if you’ve ever worked with winged horses before of any kind and we’ll go from there,” Argo stated.

Tabold shifted uncomfortably and Argo tapped his quill against his desk. “And I already know you are a werewolf. If you know others who would be qualified to work security, I would be more then happy to hire them all, not to mention give you secure rooms to transform in if that was your desire. And that’s only if you are the best. I will judge you on what your experience is. I have a man in the wings who has handled the Abraxen breed, which is considerably more dangerous then the two breeds I have here,” he added casually.

Tabold looked up in shock and Argo was glad of his Slytherin upbringing, even if he himself had been in Ravenclaw.

Ambition and cunning he had aplenty, but he had never fit in with they Slytherin types he had grown up around, such as his father and older brother, both proud Snakes.

“I used to be part of the Magical Creature department. I was, specifically, in charge of looking over the winged horses and making sure their upkeep was kept up. My father bred Abraxens, so I am used to dodging hooves. One day, I got bit and that was the end of it all. I adopted Lisa as my own after she was bitten, and abandoned, by…Fenrir Greyback,” Tabold explained and, at the werewolf’s name snarled, lip curling up slightly.

Not a very human gesture, but Argo tapped the quill’s feather tip against the table in thought, noting that he wasn’t being told everything. Things were being omitted.

“I found others. Taught them how to live in a world that would hate us once they knew who we were. We can do what you need of us; guard your stables and your winged horses. I got us jobs at racing stables during the days. Just to warn you, sometimes we make them nervous,” Tabold finished and Argo stared at him.

He then stood and walked over to the door, opening it. “Russell, draw up an employment contract for Mr. Thaddeus Tabold and his security team,” he ordered, ignoring the stunned shock that rolled through the air behind him.

“Yes, sir! What do you want me to put in for wages?” Russell questioned.

“I’ll fill that in. I still need to chat with Mr. Tabold,” Argo answered and shut the door before he returned to his desk.

“I can’t turn down someone who used to work with the people who come around to check up on me and my own every once in a while. Now, my usually payment is four galleons an hour per person, if you live on the property. This is because I include, not only _good_ quarters to sleep in, but unlimited access to the kitchen, and provide robes that have the farm’s crest, though I always provide the robes, or other clothing, that is needed, but for security I don’t think you need to worry about the winged horses trying to brain you when they rare up.

“For accommodations, you can either live in the cottages that I had built up for that purpose, or you can take rooms within the manor. My wife is an avid Potions brewer, so there are places off-limits, having been converted to her labs, though she’s a bit busy with our few months old daughter to be brewing actively right now,” he explained and paused, tapping the quill again.

“If you wish to live off the property, the payment is eight galleons an hour. I need heavier patrols at night, and light patrols during the day. My four trainers and my assistant all live off property. As of right now, only the ten groomsmen I have hired to aid in the care of the winged horses are on the property, five to each set of stables. Raises can be negotiated at the end of each contract, before renewal. Thank you Russell,” Argo explained.

Lisa, during his ramble, had leaned forward slightly when he mentioned Pyxis.

“You have a little one?” she asked and Argo nodded.

“Yes, I do. Mr. Tabold, how many are in your security team?” Argo responded.

“Eleven, including myself and those two behind me,” Tobold answered and Argo filled in the number. He did a few quick calculations and gave a nod.

Between the stud fees on the racing stallions and the yearlings that remained, not to mention a few getting ready for their first race, he could easily hire them for five years, minimum.

“We’ll start with a year long contract. I always give a trial of a year. After that, I do whatever length of time per year you wish. You’ll need to add in the names of your security team under the lines added for their signatures, once we discuss how this suits you,” Argo stated, ignoring how shocked Tabold looked.

He was taking a chance, a shot in the dark.

There was a chance that this could backfire on him. A small one, but still a chance.

But how could he pass up the _chance_ to have _eleven_ loyal people who would prevent a loss of profits out of _thankfulness_ towards him?

How could he pass up the _chance_ to have people who would accept his word as law?

How could he pass up the _chance_ to have the perfect guards for his only daughter?

Besides, why should He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named be the only one to take advantage of the Wizarding World’s fears?


End file.
